Entertainment
Prime Video’s 8-Part Guy Ritchie Series Completely Rewrites a Classic Detective Story
For generations, we’ve had a common portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle‘s Sherlock Holmes in the media. Whether in modern adaptations or faithful retellings, we tend to see Sherlock as a brilliant detective who always cracks the case with sensational deduction skills. But now, in Guy Ritchie‘s new series, Young Sherlock, the iconic character is given a new origin story.
In addition to putting the character in a new light, the series also strays away from the case-of-the-week format, allowing one overarching crime to stretch through the season. Additionally, it lets Sherlock slowly evolve and settle into his identity. With twists and turns along the way, the Prime Video series is extremely engaging as it rewrites the classic detective story we previously knew. Young Sherlock is the perfect show for a streaming audience.
Guy Ritchie’s ‘Young Sherlock’ Showcases a New Side of the Detective
Taking some inspiration from Ritchie’s two Sherlock Holmes films starring Robert Downey Jr., this new series stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a 19-year-old Sherlock coming into his own. Right from the jump, it’s clear he’s a trouble-maker, but also a slyly calculated one. Young Sherlock presents him as a bit of an arrogant know-it-all, but as the series unfolds, we learn that maybe he actually doesn’t know everything quite yet. But as far as a young detective goes, his observational skills are there, but not quite developed yet. With this engaging take, the classic detective story is being rewritten, giving us a chance to see how Sherlock becomes the greatest detective. There are others who are a step ahead of him, and Sherlock must push himself to get on top.
Taking the origin story approach, showrunner Matthew Parkhill gets to reshape what we know of the iconic character. Sherlock is not going on this adventure on his own, but there’s no dear Watson just yet. One of the classic villain characters, James Moriarty (Dónal Finn), is presented as a friend, not a foe. He serves as his confidant and equal, and, at times, the smarter of the pair. This fresh take adds depth to the series, setting itself apart from anything we’ve seen before. Young Sherlock shows how, in a way, Moriarty teaches Sherlock to become the great detective. Perhaps there is also some credence to his descent into villainy.
What’s better than Sherlock and Watson? Sherlock and Moriarty!
Young Sherlock is also a story about family. Primarily, we see the contrast between Sherlock and his older brother, Mycroft (Max Irons). They couldn’t be more morally opposite, but their adoration for one another — stemming from the loss of their sister — keeps them bound. But, like any family, there are secrets. The Holmes clan drives the second half of the action, continuing to show how Sherlock eventually hardens.
‘Young Sherlock’ Is a Character-Driven Slow Burn
As far as storytelling is concerned, in many serialized Sherlock series, we spend a singular episode on a case. Here, there’s a singular mystery for Sherlock to uncover. With the arrival of Princess Shou’an (Zine Tseng) and the mystery of the murdered professors, Sherlock gets to test out his investigative skills in unique ways. Rather than just telling us his thoughts, the brilliant direction drops him and Moriarty back into the crime scenes as they contemplate the clues they’ve uncovered. The single mystery not only serves as an incredibly engaging binge-watch but also allows you to truly see Sherlock’s character development in real time. Sure, episodic mysteries could have given us character growth as well, but this overarching plot did the job cleanly.
Outside the Sherlock universe, other detective shows, like Murder, She Wrote and Poker Face, satisfy instant gratification in a single episode. Departing from that format serves this origin story better, putting the spotlight on Sherlock and not the crime. There are major twists and turns along the way, but this eight-episode arc proves a winning format. There are so many places to which the globe-trotting Young Sherlock series can go in Season 2, which means more shades of Sherlock’s character are sure to color in his complicated character.
- Release Date
-
March 4, 2026
- Network
-
Prime Video
- Showrunner
-
Matthew Parkhill